FOR business people, laptops have to be one of the most valuable tools. They allow you to take your work with you wherever you go.

Add a wireless connection and you can enjoy the luxury of working online from your choice of location - be it a coffee shop, your sofa, or even the park on a summer's afternoon.

Whilst being able to carry your office with you is a huge benefit, you could be giving somebody access to important, confidential and valuable data if you part company with your machine, with disastrous consequences for your business.

You would have thought that people would be exceptionally diligent with such a valuable piece of equipment, but many are left in airports, restaurants or on the back seat of a taxi. In most cases however, the laptop is targeted by thieves and unfortunately these machines are unlikely to be recovered.

There are a number of simple measures you can take to keep your laptop more secure. Anthony Burns, Research Associate from Opportunity Wales partner organisation, the eCommerce Innovation Centre, offers the following security advice for all laptop users.

"When you buy a laptop, the first thing to do is register it with the manufacturer; also write down the serial number and store it in a safe place. Asset-tagging or engraving your laptop with your business name and address will permanently mark the outer case, making it both less attractive to steal and easier to return to you if it is stolen."

When on the move Anthony has additional recommendations. "It may seem obvious, but the first thing to always remember is to never leave your laptop unattended in a public place. It is equally important to lock your car when you are driving, this will stop opportunists grabbing your laptop at traffic lights. If you have to leave it in the car, lock it in the boot. When walking with your laptop try to use a nondescript carrying case, free of IT logos - that doesn't scream, "I'm an expensive laptop, steal me!".

"Invest in a cable lock that can be attached to the Universal Security Slot that most laptops have, and where possible secure it to any immovable object in your home, office or hotel room. This may not stop a determined professional but it will deter the opportunist thief."

On a more sophisticated level, tracking systems are available for laptops, which can help to get your stolen machine recovered. Police in Manchester recently introduced a hi-tech tracking device following an explosion in this type of crime against students in the area. The technology involved is kept secret to stop thieves getting round the tracking system, but as the gadget is completely hidden, the first thieves know about it is when the police come knocking at the door.

If you are a victim of laptop theft there are steps that you should take immediately. Obviously you need to report the crime to the police with all the relevant details.

If you have an IT department you should also report it to them and change your network passwords immediately. Finally, if customer data was on the laptop then legal advice should be sought to establish an appropriate course of action.

Keeping your data protected is an even more important aspect to laptop security. In next week's eView, the measures you can take to keep your business information secure will be explained. If you can't wait until then, do visit www.opportunitywales.co.uk for further advice.